Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chlorinated Water
by Song Birdy
Summary: [SharpayZeke. The closing of Twinkletown.] A portrait of an unlikely relationship in four parts.


**Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chlorinated Water:**

_a portrait of an unlikely relationship in four parts._

---

_author's notes. _

Huh. So I wrote "Rumpled Sheets" yesterday, which was, how did I phrase it? Oh, yeah: "a portrait of the abstractly perfect events of the closing of Twinkletown in three parts". Basically, it was my tribute to the (incredibly intriguing) pairing of Ryan and Troy. It was received well, if I do say so myself. I also finished my first ever by-myself-wrote-a-whole-multi-chaptered-story Newsies story today: "Bohemian Rhapsody". So, basically, I wanted to write something non-slash and in general, just fluffy. Besides, Sharpay/Zeke is just too cute to ignore. Also, this takes place at the same party mentioned in "Rumpled Sheets"

--

_i. Curtain Call_

Sharpay once told him that the only time he'll see her cry is at the close of a show. At first, he didn't believe her, as they laughed over a shared plate of fresh-baked cookies.

But from his seat in the third row at the closing show of "Twinkletown", he sees it and is in awe.

She is hugging her brother when Zeke makes his way to the stage, and he wonders why it is that even though she's blotchy and her eyes are smeared with wet stage makeup that she is more beautiful to him now than she ever has been.

--

_ii. Cast Party_

"The Super Trouper Award, huh Sharpay?" Zeke jokes with her as they walk into what Sharpay calls "the real party".

She laughs and nudges him with her shoulder, "Don't make fun."

Zeke smiles, "Oh, I'd never make fun of the Sharpay Evans."

"Oh yeah?" She asks as they near the pool and she begins to shed the layers of clothing above her bathing suit, Zeke's eyes scan her body as she tosses her clothes onto a chair behind her, but only just for a moment, "Because a diva always knows."

"Oh really?" He steps towards her in a challenging way.

"Really."

"So what am I thinking right now, Miss Diva Supreme?"

Sharpay smiles wickedly, "You're thinking that you should have worn a bathing suit."

"Wha-"

And she pushes him into the pool.

--

_iii. Chicken Fight_

Zeke is stronger than Sharpay had originally perceived, and she has no problems trusting him to hold her up onto his shoulders for a little game of chicken fight versus Gabriella. Even though the task at hand includes knocking Little Miss Perfect into the water, she cannot help but notice the soft grip of his hands resting on her smooth, white calves.

And he wonders if she knows how much he's enjoying this moment-

Until Gabriella knocks Sharpay and Zeke into the water, where he is surrounded by a sea of chemicals, water, and blonde hair.

--

_iv. Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chlorinated Water_

"Next year I'll probably have the lead again, you know." Sharpay is saying.

They're lying in the grass, drying off without really meaning to. She's let him put his arm around her back and nestled into his shoulder. Absently, he rubs his thumb against her arm and smiles.

"Really now?"

"Oh yeah, As co-presidents of the drama club, Ryan and I have pretty much convinced Darbus to do _Anything Goes_," She feels his look of confusion, "It's by Cole Porter, oh you know," she sings the next few bars, "_Friendship, friendship, just the perfect blendship_?" He shrugs, "I guess not. Well, the leads aren't romantically involved, and I could be Reno Sweeney to Ryan's Billy Crocker. Sure, he'd have to end up with Gabriella in the end, and Troy probably wouldn't like that, but he could be Moonface Martin if he wanted, I suppose. _C'est parfait_. I mean, really- OH." She says excitedly, sitting up, leaving Zeke feeling a little abandoned on the ground, "YOU should do the fall musical, Zeke! You could be Evelyn-"

"Evelyn?"

"It's a guy- And he only has to sing one song, you know, _Let's Misbehave_- can you do a British acc-"

"Sharpay!" He says, half laughing, and pulling her back down on top of him.

She flips her hair indignantly over her shoulder and pouts, "What?"

He shakes his head and half-laughs out: "Shut up."

And he presses his lips onto hers, entangling their mouths in a (delicious) taste of chocolate chip cookies and chlorinated water.


End file.
